Tool for splitting nuts

ABSTRACT

In a tool for splitting nuts an apertured frame to receive a nut incorporates an anvil against which the nut is forced by a chisel head on a plunger actuated by a bolt in screw-threaded engagement with the frame, and the cutting edge of the chisel is inclined in such a direction relative to the axis of the nut that the cutting edge first engages the nut at or adjacent to its base.

United States Patent 1191 Hastings 1451 Sept. 23, 1975 TOOL FOR SPLITTING NUTS [75] Inventor: Basil Joseph Hastings, Birmingham,

England [73] Assignee: T. Williams (Drop Forging & Tools) Limited, Birmingham, England 22 Filed: Aug. 22, 1974 21 App1.No.: 499,862

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 23, 1973 United Kingdom 39952/73 [52] US. Cl. 30/182 [51] Int. Cl. B26B 17/00 [58] Field of Search 30/182, 183, 184, 185, 30/180, 272 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,156,745 10 1915 Brady 30/132 x 1,361,798 12/1920 Pedersen .1 30/272 R 1,613,359 1/1927 Peters 1 30/185 2,879.592 3/1959 Paul 1 1 30/272 R 2,985,960 5/1961 Hill 30/272 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 52,010 /1966 Poland 30/182 Primary Examiner-A1 Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerJ. C. Peters Attorney, Agent, or FirmScrivener Parker Scrivener and Clarke [57] ABSTRACT In a tool for splitting nuts an apertured frame to receive a nut incorporates an anvil against which the nut is forced by a chisel head on a plunger actuated by a bolt in screw-threaded engagement with the frame, and the cutting edge of the chisel is inclined in such a direction relative to the axis of the nut that the cutting edge first engages the nut at or adjacent to its base.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures TOOL FOR SPLITTING NUTS This invention relates to a new or improved tool for splitting nuts in mechanical assemblies In servicing or dismantling machines, vehicles, and other assemblies of parts secured together by nuts on bolts or studs it is sometimes found that nuts, through corrosion or deformation or any other reason, have become so bound to their bolts or studs that they cannot be removed with a spanner or similar tool normally used for the purpose.

If a nut has to be removed this can be done with a hammer and chisel but that is a laborious process and is liable to cause damage to adjacent parts of the assembly, and various forms of tool for splitting nuts have been proposed. 7

According to our invention a tool for splitting a nut comprises a rigid frame having an opening to fit over the nut, and at one end of the opening there is an anvil and at the other end there is a plunger with a chisel head which is adapted to be advanced by screw means towards the anvil. The cutting edge of the chisel head lies in a plane containing the axis of the nut when the tool is in position and is inclined at a small angle to that axis in such a direction that the cutting edge first engages the nut at or adjacent to its base.

To use the tool the frame is fitted over the nut with the plunger retracted; and then the plunger is advanced by the screw means, to grip the nut between the anvil and the chisel end of the plunger. On continued operation of the screw means the chisel end is forced into the not to split it longitudinally and allow it to be removed.

One form of our improved tool is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the tool, and

FIG. 2 is a plan.

In the tool illustrated the frame 1 is a steel forging to provide adequate strength. At one end it has a rectangular opening 2 of a width sufficient to accommodate the largest nut to be dealt with. At the other end there is an axial extension 3 of substantial length which is bored longitudinally. The outer end of the bore is screw-threaded internally to receive a screwed bolt 4. The inner end of the bore is unthreaded, and slidably mounted in it is a plunger 5 having a chisel end 6 extending into the opening. The cutting edge of the chisel end is inclined at a small angle to a line at right angles to the axis of the plunger.

A ball 7 is located in the bore between the adjacent ends of the bolt 4 and the plunger 5 to transmit the axial thrust of the bolt to the chisel.

An anvil 11 is located at the opposite end of the opening in alignment with the plunger and is conveniently formed as a separate member having a shank 8 which is received in an opening in the end of the frame remote from the extension 3 and an enlarged head 9 for engagement with a nut. The head may be slightly dished as indicated at 12 and formed with a sharp edge 13 to bite into the surface of the nut. The shank may be rivetted or peened or otherwise secured in the opening in the frame or it may be loose and interchangeable.

Considering the frame in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1 for engagement with a nut 10 on a bolt or stud of which the axis is vertical, the axis of the chisel-headed plunger 5 is offset downwardly from the median horizontal plane of the frame so that with the cutting edge of the chisel vertical its lower end extends slightly below the bottom of the fram'"and can engage the nut at or adjacent to its lower end.

In the operation of splitting a nut the inclination of the edge of the chisel tends to urge it downwardly as it is forced into the nut and the chisel does not ride upwardly on the nut.

The chisel-headed plunger is conveniently formed from high quality steel and may be hardened.

The length of the plunger is preferably such that when the tool is not in use the chisel end will strike the anvil before the inner end of the plunger comes out of the bore in the frame so that the plunger cannot drop out and be lost.

In a modification the ball may be omitted, the inner end of the bolt 4 then bearing directly on the plunger 5.

I claim:

1. A tool for splitting nuts comprising a rigid frame having an opening to receive a nut, an anvil at one end of the opening, and at the other end a plunger with a chisel head movable by screw means towards the anvil, wherein the cutting edge of the chisel head lies in a plane containing the axis of a nut when the tool is in position over the nut and is inclined at a small angle to that axis in such a direction that the cutting edge first engages the nut at or adjacent to its base.

2. A tool as in claim 1 wherein the plunger is axially movable in a bore in an extension of the frame at the opposite end from the anvil and is advanced towards the anvil by a bolt in screw-threaded engagement with the bore, and the axis of the plunger is offset downwardly from the median horizontal plane of the frame so that with the cutting edge of the chisel head vertical its lower end extends below the bottom surface of the frame.

3. A tool as in claim 1 wherein the anvil is a separate member having a shank located in an opening in the end of the frame, the shank terminating in an enlarged head which is dished and formed with a sharp edge to bite into the surface of the nut. 

1. A tool for splitting nuts comprising a rigid frame having an opening to receive a nut, an anvil at one end of the opening, and at the other end a plunger with a chisel head movable by screw means towards the anvil, wherein the cutting edge of the chisel head lies in a plane containing the axis of a nut when the tool is in position over the nut and is inclined at a small angle to that axis in such a direction that the cutting edge first engages the nut at or adjacent to its base.
 2. A tool as in claim 1 wherein the plunger is axially movable in a bore in an extension of the frame at the opposite end from the anvil and is advanced towards the anvil by a bolt in screw-threaded engagement with the bore, and the axis of the plunger is offset downwardly from the median horizontal plane of the frame so that with the cutting edge of the chisel head vertical its lower end extends below the bottom surface of the frame.
 3. A tool as in claim 1 wherein the anvil is a separate member having a shank located in an opening in the end of the frame, the shank terminating in an enlarged head which is dished and formed with a sharp edge to bite into the surface of the nut. 